Reflections on 2010

It’s hard to believe that as 2010 comes to a close, that this experience is more than halfway completed.  While I am not ready to do a full reflection on my experience so far (that will come in May), it’s hard not to look back on not just the past 6 months here in Tanzania, but also the last year of 2010 which has been focused primarily on getting prepared and starting this journey to get to where I am now. 

I know it’s a bit cliché to say, but a year ago I didn’t really expect to be where I am right now, and learn so much about myself in the process.  I think as I look back on the past year I am extremely proud at the challenges I have successfully faced to get here and also adjust into the culture over the past months.  I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of the community here at Mzumbe, and I’m very excited to work hard over the coming final months so that I can leave here with a sense of pride about the work and support I gave to the Mzumbe community. 

As I look at where I am now compared to where I was when I arrived, I feel that I have learned so many skills in and out of the classroom that have made my time here so successful and rewarding so far.  While I do take pride in all that I have accomplished so far, I do not feel like my work is complete.  With new school classes starting in January, I feel like I can face the new year here in Tanzania with confidence that I can be an even more effective teacher to my students and member of my community. 

Reflecting back on the past year, I also think fondly about the cultural experiences I have been fortunate to be a part of as well.  It has not always been easy to adjust to the way of life in Tanzania, but I am thankful for every positive cultural encounter I have had here so far, and there have been many.  I am also thankful for all of the wonderful friends I have made from this experience, as well.

As I have reached a tipping point in my experience as a volunteer, teacher and member of a new cultural community, my hope for the New Year and for my final months here in Tanzania is that I continue to learn and grow from my experiences, and also fully appreciate the remaining time I have here.  I feel very fortunate and thankful for everything I have experienced here so far and I can only hope that as my service winds towards its end that it continues to be as rewarding and fulfilling as it has been thus far.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all of my friends, family and faithful readers back home!!

December in Tanzania

Back in the U.S. right now it’s getting colder as winter approaches, the holiday season is just about in full swing, and people are busy at work and school getting ready for the coming holiday break.  In Tanzania, the atmosphere is quite different.  The weather is getting hotter by the day, most schools are closing, people are taking it easy at work and it’s hard to tell if it’s approaching Christmas or the middle of summer here.  It’s a bit disorienting but December in Tanzania seems to be similar to July or August in the U.S.  Kids are out of school, the weather is at it’s warmest and people are generally more laid back and relaxed.

A couple of weeks ago I finished my first term at Mongola Secondary School.  As the last couple of weeks approached, the students were busy taking their final exams before they were dismissed for a break until January when the new school year begins.  It was the first time when I could gauge the progress of the students that I had, and I was encouraged to see them do well on the concepts that I had taught them in the previous weeks.  Although most of the students still had difficulty with a large part of the exam (all of their exams are in English, so a large part of their success on exams depends on their skill level in the language), they all seemed to give it their best effort, which was encouraging for me.  However, as in all schools there were a couple of my students who were caught cheating, but they were appropriately disciplined after their crime was discovered.  I was disappointed in those students, but was happy that it was only a handful out of about 120 of my students.  After all of the test grading was completed, the students were dismissed for their break and the school closed for the year.  I’m glad to have a break for now (even though I’m still teaching classes at Mzumbe), and I’ll be ready to get a few fresh classes and a new start with a new group in January.

As for the next few weeks, I’m just enjoying the low-key atmosphere and looking forward to our Mid-service Conference that will take place in Zanzibar!  It has been interesting to see how Tanzania observes the holiday season, but as I mentioned earlier, you wouldn’t really notice that any major holiday was approaching.  There are some shops with fake Christmas trees, but other than that the lack of a holiday atmosphere is very noticeable compared what I’m used to seeing on the streets and in the shopping malls back home.  Also back home it’s usually not 100 degrees in December!

It has been an interesting experience to be in Tanzania in December.  It is quite a change from home and while it’s getting colder and festive in the U.S., in Tanzania it feels like the country is on a nice, relaxing summer vacation!

Morning Parades

A Morning Parade at Mzumbe

One of the common traditions at Tanzanian secondary schools is the observance of a daily parade each morning (or an assembly, as we would commonly call it).  This is a daily ritual at just about each secondary school, and it is a way for students and teachers to prepare themselves for the day ahead.

The most important parade is held on Monday, where a number of regular events occur.  After the entire student body assembles (usually grouped by each Form), the parade starts with the raising of the Tanzanian flag.  This is accompanied by the singing of the Tanzanian national anthem.  At Mzumbe, they also sing the school song in addition to the national anthem.  Following the flag raising, the headmaster will conduct an inspection of the students, where he or she will pass through the student body and make sure that their appearance and uniform is in order.  Once the inspection is complete, the headmaster will give any announcements they have for the student body as well as a few other words of wisdom and encouragement.  After this, any other teachers with announcements will speak and then the parade is concluded with someone from the student body giving some announcements, or giving a speech on a specific topic or even reading a poem that they may have written.  This is always a fun part of the parade because it is an opportunity for students to express their creativity to their fellow student body, and also polish their public speaking skills.  Once the parade is concluded, the students are dismissed to their classes to begin their day.

Each day’s parade is different but essentially has the same routine.  Monday is always the most important and longest parade because it is the beginning of the week, and each following day’s parade gets progressively shorter.  By Friday, the assembly only lasts a few minutes.  Because the schools don’t have PA systems, the parade is the only opportunity for announcements to be made for the students.  I think it is a good aspect of the school day because it emphasizes school community and is a good way to start off the day with a regular routine.  It gets the students focused before class and prepares both teachers and students for the day of classes ahead.